Quick radiant floor question

[Cindy daria]

Everything I read about retrofitting radiant floor heating under an existing floor says to add plenty of insulation to direct the heat upwards. Since our insulated basement is not heated and we'd like to add radiant to the floor above, would not insulating (or only lightly) between the them take some of the chill out of the basement while most of the heat will still go towards the floor above? We don't want to fully heat the basement, just get the chill out. Thanks.

[m Ransley]

It will help, but do you want to heat the basement also, it can be done.

[Ben]

I put foam pad about 1/4" thick that you can buy for floating wood floor like pergo on top of cement then I used tapcon screws to hold down 1" X 4" s spaced 16" on center. Then installed 3/4" OSB tongue & groove, 1 sheet at a time, then I snaked 1/2' pex pipe between the 1"X

4" it is kind of tricky to hold the pex down before you put the next sheet of OSB down but is possible. I did it for 3 bedrooms and a large family room. I also put in 4 different thermostats. Good LUCK !!!

[buffalobill]

will you be freezing the basement pipes if you insulate the basement ceiling?

[PrecisionMechanical]

Yes.

but If you desire to occasionally heat the basement living area, best to split ( zone ) the entire system.......

You can perhaps maintain min basement temps with above, ( uninsulated mid floor )but if you occasionally might wish to heat the entire basement upon demand, then suggest adding a zone--added zone being a system of forced air w/ water heating coils / ducting to service just the basement.

[Cindy daria]

I don't think it will freeze down there since there is some heat from the furnace and water heater, but I don't know for sure.

[Cindy daria]

On Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:20:21 -0800 "

Thanks, I wish that was the way we could go but I don't think our budget can handle adding heat to the basement, but I don't know. What is the benefit of a forced air system in the basement over adding radiant heat? Is it cheaper?

[Cindy daria]

Thanks. This system would be for adding heat to my basement or did you mean for the floor above the basement?

[Cindy daria]

Yes, I'm just concerned about the cost of doing that over other projects that need to get done.

[yourname]

If you don't insulate under the tubes, it will not force the heat up enough to heat the floor well. Run the tubing, insulate, and add a smallish radiant panel on the same circuit in the basement to take the chill off. probably on its own loop though

[hallerb]

ahh install radiant floor for upstairs, and say a inch of insulation. wait a winter and add more insulation if you want.

the disadvantage of this is wasting energy heating basement unnecessarily.

forced air for basement would likely be cheaper, even a mini furnace you can turn on when you want/

whats your current heating arrangement?

[HeatMan]

Close....

The industry standard is 3 times the R-value below the radaint area than what's above it.

i.e., hardwood and rosin paper may have an R-value of (let's say) R-1.5. You'd need about R5 below the tubing.

True, but it may never get comfortable down there because the heat will migrate upstairs.

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